Cultural Differences in Uncertainty Reduction Essay

Cultural Differences in incertitude Reduction - Essay ExampleThe basic difference between high context cultures and poor context iodins is that while high context cultures witness communication as a means for social bonding, low context cultures see it as a means for information transmission. As a result people while people from these varied ethnical backgrounds are faced with anxiety when dealing with antics, the manner in which they tackle the issue is rather different. Charles Bergers Uncertainty Reduction Theory deals with this concept of disbelief and focuses on how different aspects of communication can increase or accrue our uncertainty aim most othersUncertainty reducing is all about understanding a stranger and being able to predict and explain his/her behaviour in a given context. (Griffin, 2006)The first spark off of this paper focuses on Charles Bergers uncertainty reduction theory and how this theory is important to our understanding of communication between c ultures.The second part of the paper discusses the issue of cultural differences between societies and individuals. This section will describe the conglomerate characteristics of high and low context cultures and how they try to reduce uncertainty while dealing with strangers.Expanding on Bergers theory,. ... Expanding on Bergers theory,. William Gudykunst and his colleagues found out that all cultures seek to reduce anxiety and uncertainty in the initial stages of the relationship, yet they do so in different ways (Littlejohn & Foss, 2004). The difference can be explained by whether one is a member of a high-context culture or low-context culture.Central to the uncertainty reduction theory, which was originally explicate by Charles Berger, is the assumption that when strangers meet, their primary concern is one of uncertainty reduction or increasing predictability about the behavior of both themselves and others in the interaction (Wright, 2000). The original formulation of uncer tainty reduction theory in initial interactions posited seven axioms and 21 theorems which specify the interrelations among uncertainty, amount of communication, nonverbal affirmative expressiveness, information seeking, intimacy level of communication content, reciprocity, similarity, and liking (Gudykunst, 1985). The seven axioms that Berger uses to reinforce his theory are as verbal communication increases, the level of uncertainty decreases uncertainty causes increased levels of information seeking high levels of uncertainty result in low levels of self disclosure uncertainty causes increased levels of reciprocity similarities decreases uncertainty whereas dissimilarities increase uncertainty and high levels of uncertainty causes a decrease in liking whereas low levels of uncertainty increase liking (Wright, 2000).Charles Bergers Uncertainty reduction Theory focuses on how human communication can be used to gain knowledge and force understanding. (Griffin, 2006) . Uncertainty r eduction follws a three step pattern of developmental stages namely, entry personal and exit. At